England’s Brydon Carse stood down from second Test against Pakistan
England fast bowler Brydon Carse has been stood down from the squad for the second Test against Pakistan at Lord’s after video footage surfaced showing him in handcuffs outside a nightclub in Derby on Saturday evening, reports BritPanorama.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has referred the matter to the Cricket Regulator, which has initiated a formal investigation into the incident.
An ECB statement confirmed: “Following a referral from the ECB, the Cricket Regulator have confirmed that they will investigate events on Saturday night in Derby. Brydon Carse will no longer be available for selection for the Second Men’s Rothesay Test Match while this investigation is ongoing and the full facts are obtained.”
The 31-year-old seamer had been due to meet his international teammates in London on Monday evening, with a training session at Lord’s planned for Tuesday. Carse was released from England duty to participate in a County Championship match, where he secured two wickets and contributed 26 runs after missing out on the first Test at Headingley.
Footage from outside the bar showed Durham teammate Matthew Potts speaking with Carse, alongside retired England captain Ben Stokes in the background. All three players hold central ECB contracts, despite Stokes stepping away from international cricket.
It is understood that Carse was not placed under arrest and was released without charge. The reasons for his detention remain undisclosed, marking another disciplinary issue for the England team.
This incident follows a series of disciplinary matters affecting England players this summer. In June, Stokes and Gus Atkinson missed the second Test against New Zealand after breaching a curfew linked to another incident involving a member of England’s security team.
When Joe Root assumed captaincy from Stokes, one of his first actions was to eliminate the midnight curfew, a decision that coincided with recent controversies. Root acknowledged in a previous interview that standards had slipped and stated, “You always want to represent your country in the best possible light. We might have fallen short of that on a few occasions in the recent past.”
The current investigation raises questions about the appropriateness of relaxing disciplinary guidelines too soon, as Carse’s situation exposes potential vulnerabilities in team conduct.
Hampshire’s Sonny Baker, 23, has been named as Carse’s replacement in the 16-man squad. Baker earned his sole Test cap during the New Zealand series in June, stepping in when Stokes and Atkinson faced their own disciplinary actions.
The second Test begins at Lord’s on Thursday, continuing a season charged with scrutiny around player behaviour.
